CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 1, 2012
"Utterly brilliant. (Graphic fantasy. 10 & up)"
CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 1, 2012
"Reminiscent of Where the Wild Things Are in its visual transformations and emotional intensity, but with a more present and openly loving parent. (Picture book. 4-6)"
"My daddy has warm hands. His fingers taste like applesauce. I wish he had a thousand hands."
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 1, 2012
"Realistic, gritty and uplifting. (Fiction. 10-14)"
Jamie lives in a bizarre world, where a sister can die in a bombing, and the only way to bring Mum and Dad together is by auditioning for
Britain's Biggest Talent Show.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: July 10, 2012
"A luminous celebration of family, food and home. (Picture book. 4-9)"
Day by day, brick by brick, a community is built in this winning tribute to fellowship and family.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: July 10, 2012
"Light on explicit grue but well endowed with macabre detail and leavening dashes of humor. (Horror/short stories. 10-13)"
Nine creepy tales told by dead teens and positively tailor-made for reading--or reading aloud--by flashlight.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: July 3, 2012
"Yum has perfectly captured the emotional ups and downs of both parent and child in a visually expressive work that will shore up adults as they send their children off on that momentous day. (Picture book. 4-7, adult)"
Yum, known for using text and artwork to explore emotions (
There Are No Scary Wolves, 2010, etc.), looks at the first day of school from two points of view--that of a little boy who is more than ready and a nervous mother not quite prepared to let him go.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: June 19, 2012
"A marvel of history writing that makes complicated history clear and interesting. (selected bibliography, notes, picture credits) (Nonfiction. 9-14) "
Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass met only three times, but their friendship changed a nation.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: June 18, 2012
"How extraordinary to visit Mars in Spirit; readers will be very glad of the Opportunity. (sources, chapter notes, glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)"
What's it like to explore Mars? Did life ever exist on Earth's red neighbor? To find out, readers need only soar along with this enthralling account of the adventures of two rovers designed to seek evidence on Mars of water that could have once supported life.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: June 5, 2012
"A fine, taut novel full of understanding. (author's note) (Historical fiction. 9-12)"
Once and
Then (2010, 2011) blend into Now in today's Australia as Dr. Felix Salinger, 80, relates his childhood and shows his present to his 11-year-old granddaughter, narrator Zelda.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: June 5, 2012
Vernon is both a toad and a forager for found objects. Ambling along with his latest haul, he chances upon a creature he seeks to know and then to help.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: June 1, 2012
"A quietly sublime depiction of a child at play by the sea. (Picture book. 2-6)"
In this newest installment in the Being in the World series, Japanese collaborators Konagaya and Saito offer a lovely account of a day in the life of a child at the beach.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: June 1, 2012
"Dozens of spectacular Kellar posters along with a dramatic book design nicely support this well-constructed look at a consummate showman. (timeline, bibliography, annotated sources) (Biography. 10-14)"
A first-rate visual presentation accompanies a fascinating biography of the first dean of the Society of American Magicians, a man Houdini regarded as a mentor.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: June 1, 2012
"Soothing and satisfying; perfect for reading on the porch on a summer evening, preferably next to a dog. (Picture book. 3-7)"
Stories of patiently waiting dogs have been around for just about forever, or at least since Homer wrote about faithful Argos recognizing Odysseus after a 20-year absence. In Cooper's touching story, the patient pup is an aging yellow Lab named Homer, whose love for his family is as deep and wide as the ocean outside their cottage.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: May 15, 2012
"Eye-opening inspiration in this unassuming import from Colombia. (Picture book. 6-8)"
In a thought-provoking twist on the usual immigrant story, a village lad elects to stay put.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: May 10, 2012
"Readers may find they never want to leave Tupelo Landing. (Mystery. 10-14)"
What do you get when you combine
Because of Winn-Dixie's heart with the mystery and action of
Holes? You get an engaging, spirit-lifting and unforgettable debut for young readers.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: May 8, 2012
"Ready or not! Here comes a book worth finding. (Picture book. 2-5) "
Expert hide-and-seekers will hear the hushed scuttles and feel the quickened pulses as a group of animals plays a rain forest game of hide-and-seek.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: May 1, 2012
"Readers will want to visit more than once to capture both the science and the abundant sense of celebration here. (Informational picture book. 5-11)"
CHILDREN'S
Released: May 1, 2012
"A warm, witty, exquisitely nuanced multigenerational story. (Fiction. 10-14)"
Twelve-year-old Mary O'Hara is surrounded by good-humored women…her mum at home, her mum's mum, who is dying in Dublin's Sacred Heart Hospital, and her mum's mum's mum, who has just materialized as a ghost on her street.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: May 1, 2012
"Beautifully benign illustrations conjure powerful familial feelings. (Picture book. 3-6)"
Who wouldn't want to put on a monster show in a big, cardboard box or pop bubble wrap at rapid-fire speed?
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CHILDREN'S
Released: April 24, 2012
"A suspenseful, surprising novel of friendship and family from the creator of the popular Clementine series. (Fiction. 9-12)"
Desperate times call for desperate measures indeed when, one summer afternoon on Cape Cod, 11-year-old Stella finds her sole caretaker, her great-aunt Louise, dead in her chair.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: April 3, 2012
"Otherwise, distinguished both as natural history and work of art. (Nonfiction. 7-12) "
CHILDREN'S
Released: April 1, 2012
"Riveting reading, well-timed for the centennial of the Titanic's sinking. (afterword) (Picture book. 4-8)"
Based on a true story of shipwreck and rescue, Carbone's tale is leavened with narration by Anthony, a venturesome lad whose penchant for playing pirates helps him through the harrowing event.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: April 1, 2012
"From the beaver's coat to the tiger lily's petals to the snakeskin, this fish tale is a keeper. (Picture book/early reader. 4-8)"
Take a conventional story, add a new art technique--and voilà, a striking picture book is born.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: April 1, 2012
"Art lovers of all ages will revel in this vivid, wonderfully affecting book, which is almost as ingenious and memorable as Close himself. (timeline, glossary, list of resources and illustration credits) (Nonfiction. 8-12)"
CHILDREN'S
Released: April 1, 2012
"An important picture-book biography that lovingly introduces this "outsider" artist to a new generation. (source notes, afterword) (Picture book/biography. 6-11)"
Tate and Christie capture the spirit behind the work of Bill Traylor, "one of the most important self-taught American folk artists of the twentieth century."
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CHILDREN'S
Released: April 1, 2012
"Share this admirable appreciation with a wide audience. (Picture book/poetry. 4-10) "
Twenty-three poems and evocative watercolor paintings pay tribute to the wonders of the ocean world.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: April 1, 2012
"One romping celebration of boyhood to read again and again. (Picture book. 3-8)"
CHILDREN'S
Released: March 27, 2012
"A real slice of family life, the sweet with the bitter. (Fiction. 5-8)"
Sadie and Ratz, Hannah's menacing hands, help her to handle her sibling rivalry in this piercingly intelligent foray into chapter books by much-awarded teen author Hartnett.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: March 27, 2012
"In all, lovely, inventive, engrossing and interactive. (Picture book. 2-6)"
In lush paintings outfitted with cleverly positioned die cuts, Seeger's latest explores the color green.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: March 20, 2012
"A beautiful tale of perseverance. (author's note) (Historical fiction. 10-14)"
A young girl tackles a learning disability and the uncertainty of daily life in early-20th-century Cuba.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: March 13, 2012
"A dazzlingly poetic photo album of the insect world for tots on up. (Picture book. 2 & up)"
CHILDREN'S
Released: March 1, 2012
"Just label it F for funny. (Picture book. 4-6)"
CHILDREN'S
Released: Feb. 27, 2012
"Accessible, unfussy and visually charming. (author's and illustrator's notes; sources) (Picture book/biography. 6-10)"
An appealing and slightly humorous portrayal of O'Keeffe's artistic vision and determination, along with a peek at the Hawaii of over half a century ago.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Feb. 27, 2012
"A thrilling integration of verse and image, motivating all to serious fun. (Picture book/poetry. 3-8)"
Turning the adage that sticks and stones may break one's bones on its ear, picture-book titans Singer and Pham team up to entice young readers to go where most Generation Xbox angels fear to tread: outside.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Feb. 16, 2012
"A rich vein of wisdom runs through this highly entertaining, swashbuckling series debut. (1862 map of Virginia City, glossary) (Historical fiction. 10-14)"
Twelve-year-old P.K. "Pinky" Pinkerton was born with a poker face--he can't show or read emotion--but it's not until he lands in Nevada Territory's silver-mining country that he comes to terms with the hand he's dealt.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Feb. 14, 2012
"A memorable story of kindness, courage and wonder. (Fiction. 8-14)"
After being home-schooled for years, Auggie Pullman is about to start fifth grade, but he's worried: How will he fit into middle school life when he looks so different from everyone else?
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Feb. 14, 2012
"This sweet seedling will undoubtedly take root and thrive. (Picture book. 3-8)"
A boy plants seeds in late winter's brown, barren earth and vigilantly watches for green sprouts alongside his companions (a dog, turtle, rabbit and bird).
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Feb. 7, 2012
"A massive explosion at the end only sets that evil scheme back a bit; stay tuned for further strange and exhilarating developments. (Fantasy. 11-13)"
A motley assortment of human experimental subjects and faerie exiles take on a New Jersey cereal company run by eldritch management for nefarious purposes.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Feb. 7, 2012
"Grown-ups beware. Youngsters might have their own questions and answers after this romp. (Picture book. 4-8)"
CHILDREN'S
Released: Feb. 1, 2012
"Hole-y astronomy! (timeline, glossary, author's note, bibliography, image credits, index) (Nonfiction. 8-12)"
Oh, my stars! As the cover proclaims, a black hole may not be an actual hole, but readers will be glad they fell into this book.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Feb. 1, 2012
"A moving record of young people rising at a pivotal historical moment, based on original interviews and archival research as well as published sources. (photos, timeline, endnotes, multimedia resource lists) (Nonfiction. 11-15)"
Triumph and tragedy in 1963 "Bombingham," as children and teens pick up the flagging civil rights movement and give it a swift kick in the pants.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Feb. 1, 2012
"Sheer, fabulous power. (Board book. 1-3)"
CHILDREN'S
Released: Jan. 31, 2012
"An outstanding addition to a first-rate series. (notes, study questions, resource lists) (Graphic mythology. 8-14)"
A tempestuous mother-daughter relationship makes up the centerpiece of O'Connor's latest carefully researched and simultaneously fresh and funny Olympian portrait.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Jan. 24, 2012
"In the end, Houdini realizes that writing has changed him and altered his perspective on people and life. Readers will feel the same way. And just try to get kids not to make their own lists or attempt their own novels. (Fiction. 9-12)"
A middle-schooler writes a kids' novel; an author writes an engaging, amiable read--and, presto, a tale about a boy nicknamed Houdini turns out magical.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Jan. 17, 2012
"Share with readers of all ages as a beautiful message about peaceful protest and purposeful action. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8)"
An African-American family awakens before dawn to prepare for the historic March on Washington in August, 1963.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Jan. 17, 2012
"Utterly believable, this bittersweet story, complete with an author's note identifying the real Ivan, will inspire a new generation of advocates. (author's note) (Fiction. 8-12)"
How Ivan confronts his harrowing past yet stays true to his nature exemplifies everything youngsters need to know about courage.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Jan. 17, 2012
"A quiet story of sharing with no strings attached. (Picture book. 4-7)"
A little girl in a town of white snow and soot-blackened chimneys opens a small box and discovers a never-ending gift of colorful yarn.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Jan. 10, 2012
"Deza is one great heroine in her own right, a fitting literary companion to Bud Caldwell. (Historical fiction. 9-12)"
Deza Malone had a brief appearance in Curtis' multiple–award-winning novel,
Bud, Not Buddy (Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Author Award, 2000). Now, she is the dynamic and engaging heroine of her own story.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Jan. 3, 2012
"This primer on friendship wrapped in hijinks is paced for maximum pleasure. (Picture book. 3-7)"
In this variant of "The City Mouse and the Country Mouse," two dragons learn to appreciate each other's talents and milieus.
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